Name: Spreading the Feast Gathering
Start: 2025-07-11T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-07-12T23:59:59-05:00
Location: LaGrange, KY

This topic has 7 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 9 months ago by Doug Smith.

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

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August 25, 2009 at 1:53 pm
csmamma
Participant
What do homeschoolers do for drivers education? My husband and I would love to be the one to teach our kids how to drive – our oldest will be 15 next fall. We’ve seen a few parent-taught drivers ed curriculums out there. Wondered how you’ve done it and what you’re thoughts are on this. Is it legal for parents to teach their kids? Is it the state that issues the permit. Forgive my ignorance.
Thanks for any insight!
Heather
August 25, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Bookworm
Participant
Heather, it is going to depend on your state. In mine, parents can teach if they want to, but a permanent driver’s license will not be issued before age 18 unless the student takes school driver’s ed. But there are other states less strict. So you’ll have to research it or tell us the state.

August 26, 2009 at 2:40 am
Suzq
Participant
Heather,
My friend told me that we cannot do the Drivers Ed at home here in MI, But I have not checked into it yet. Just thought I would give you a quick response.
I am considering having my son do the one at the Homeschool Building(I think it is called Navigators). He is eligible in Jan. but we will likely do it in the summer.

Suzq
August 26, 2009 at 9:58 pm
Doug Smith
Keymaster
In Illinois, training must be done by an organization that meets state requirements. So we can pay the school system or a private company. Our other option is to wait until they are 17 years, 3 months old when they can get a permit without the requirements. We can then train them ourselves and they can get their license at 18.
We had one child go through the program of a paid company and we decided we needed to supplement it ourselves because they hadn’t been thorough enough. We used Driver Ed in a Box for that.
August 26, 2009 at 10:20 pm
missingtheshire
Member
Doug, were you happy with Driver Ed in a Box? Also, do you think it is a worthwhile expense, I imagine you must have to have used it, could you tell us what it adds to the experience of learning to drive? I am wondering if we should buy it, though it is a tremendous amount of money in these challenging times. We are also in Illinois by the way, and my daughters are 17, 18 in a very few months and in no particular hurry to learn to drive. Thanks, Linda
August 27, 2009 at 2:10 pm
csmamma
Participant
Thanks everyone for your responses. Suzq, thanks for the Mi info, I forgot about the HSbuilding. Doug, I’m glad to know they can get a permit at 17. Would this be for any state? I’m a little hesitant of my dc driving as early as 16 anyway. Anyone els? Why so early these days, whats the benefit?
August 27, 2009 at 2:54 pm
missingtheshire
Member
Our twin daughters who are now 17, have been in no hurry to learn to drive, in England you cannot drive until you are 17, and so they have been used to that. They will be 18 in a few months and want to learn sometime during that year, maybe, but are happy to wait longer if necessary. It is a known fact that the younger the driver, the more prone to accidents, so I don’t know what the benefit is, and I certainly from a personal perspective think 17 is soon enough. I imagine peer pressure has something to do with it.
August 27, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Doug Smith
Keymaster
@missingtheshire, Yes, we like Driver Ed in a Box. It’s not cheap but it’s a much better value than our state-approved $500 per student options here. It also seems more thorough. I like the emphasis on collision-free driving and giving the student tools they need to be safe.
The quality of the videos could be a bit better, but it’s a good package overall. I really needed some guidance to teach our teens and it gave me a good framework to make sure we covered everything well.
@csmamma, The laws vary from state to state. You’ll have to check for where you live.
@missingtheshire, I agree. Most of our kids are in no hurry to drive so we’ve waited. I’m happy to wait for the added maturity and put off the extra insurance expense for a while.